Bulgarian regulator cuts gas, heating prices

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Bulgaria’s State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) approved on March 28 lower prices for natural gas and central heating, which will go into force on April 1.

Gas prices will be reduced by 3.9 per cent – 1000 cubic metres will now cost about 631 leva (about 322.6 euro). The cut is higher than the one suggested by state owned gas company Bulgargaz, which offered to lower prices by 3.2 per cent.

As a result of lower gas prices, a number of heating utilities in the country will have to reduce their prices too, although with the winter heating season effectively over, consumers will likely feel the difference next winter.

Heating prices will go down by between 3.8 per cent in Sofia and 6.5 per cent in Pleven and Bourgas. Heating prices in Varna and Plovdiv will be cut by about 4.9 per cent.

This is the second price cut ordered by the regulator this year – in January, SEWRC cut gas prices by 9.8 per cent. At that time, the central heating price cut in Sofia was the largest (seven per cent), while consumers in Varna saw the smallest decrease (three per cent).

The large gas price cut in January was a result of the 20 per cent discount secured by Bulgaria from Russia’s Gazprom in exchange for the country’s participation in the South Stream gas pipeline project.

(Photo: Jayesh Nair)

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